Hungary



{No.Model.)

ADOLF GRAF VDN BONACGORSI DI PISTOJA.

FIRING MEGHANISM POR TORPEDOES.

' Patented Dec. 10, 1889.

UNITED STATES ADoLr GRAF. VON BUoNAoooRsi DI PISTOJA, OF VIENNA,AUSTRIA- HUNGARY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,206, dated December10, 1889.

Application led November 15, 1888. Serial No. 290,967. (No model.)Patented in Germany February 24, 1888, No. 45,368 in France February 24,1888, No.188,945 in Belgium March 12, 1888, No. 81,003; in Sweden March12, 1888, No. 1,697; in England March 20, 1888, No. 4,297; in ItalyMarch 31, 1888, XXII, 28,135, XLV, 431; in Portugal May 17, 1888, No.1,244; in Norway Mey 28, 1888, No. 934; in Austria-Hungary J'nne 26,1888, No. 8,093 and No. 21,102, and in Spain Tune To-aZZ whom t mayconcern:

Be it known that I, ADoLF GRAF VON BU- Y oNncooRsI DI PIsToJA, a subjectof the Emperor of Austria-Hungatry,aJ residing` at Vienna, in theProvince of Lower Austria, in the Empire of Austria-Hungary, haveinvented certain new and usefullmprovementsin Firing Mechanism forTorpedoes, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in Austria-Hungary,dated June 26,1888,No. 8,098, and No. 21,102; in Germany, dated.February 21, 1888, No. 45,368, in France, dated February 21, 1888, No.188,945; in Belgium, dated March 12, 1888, No. 81,008; in Italy, datedMarch 81, 1888, Reg. Gen.,-Vol. XXII, No 28,135, and Reg, Att., Vol;XLV,N0. 431; in Spain, dat-ed J une 30, 1888, No. 8,035; in Portugal,dated May 17, 1888, No. 1,2111; in England, dated March Q0, 1888, No.4,207; in Sweden, dated March 12, 1888, No. 1,697, and in Norway, datedMay 28, 1888, No. 981;) and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and toletters or figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspeciiication.

Referring 'to the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal'sectionof a portion of the bow or striking-point of the torpedo and a portionof the charge-chamber. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of thefiring-pin. Fig'. 8 is a section on line a: of Fig. 2, and Fig. f1 is anisometric View of the portion of the iring-pin, shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5is a side elevation, and Fig. 5 is an end elevation, of

the striking-'head of the firing-pin detached.

This invention relates to self-propelling, offensive, or sh torpedoes,Iand in this class of torpedoes of usual construction the explosionfollows inifariablyon the torpedo niectv ing with suiiicient resistanceto cause the {iring-pin to explode the percussion-cap or ful minate orpercussion-primer, irrespective of the distance traveled by thetorpedothat is to say, in all torpedoes of this class with which I amacquainted the iiring-pin is always in position to do its Work.

The object Otan)- invention is to provide means whereby the firing-pinwill be held against operation until the torpedo has traveled a givendistance, thus practically providing a time-fuse diifering only from theordinary time-fuse in that there will be no explosion incase the torpedoshould miss its aim-that is, in case the torpedo should not meet withsufficient resistance to its progress to cause the firing-pin to explodethe primer.

A further object of this invention is to so construct the tiringmechanism as toA render its operation entirely independent of any othermechanism of the torpedo, thus dispensing with the long transmissionrodsusually employed, which rods extend in some systems of torpedoes fromstem to stern, and at the same time to materially increase-in fact, tonearly triple-the distance at which torpedoes have heretoforr` beenrendered effcc-tive.

To these ends the invention consists in the.

pedo, of a firing mechanism comprising', essentially, a firing` pin orbolthz'iving a free lengt tudinal and a rotarymotion in its bearings,i1icombination with atine-lock operatingl to retard or check said freelongitmlinal motion'l of the bolt and automaticnll 1v release the sameai'- ter the torpedo has traveled a given distance, substantially ashereinafter fnllydescrihed, and set forth in the claims.

The invention. further consists in the combination, with the iiringl pinor bolt adapted to move freely in a longitudinal direction in itsbearings, of a tin1e-lock operating` to retard or cheek saidlongitudinal motion, and means for impart-ingl a rotary motion to thetiring pin or bolt to control the time-lock, suhstantially ashereinafter lfully described, and as pointed out iii tl1`c"clni1ns.

The invention vfurther consists indetails of construction andcombinziiions ol' parts, sultaniially as hereinafter described, and :isset forth in the claims.

combinatioinwith the chargechamberof tor- As shown in the drawings, theiiringbolt c', on which is formed the firing-pin a, is provided at itsrear end with a helical groove a?, into which project the points ot' twosmall screws a o, Fig. l, screwed into the conev shaped torpedo-bow al.These screws serve the'purpose ot' locking'the firing-bolt against freeendwise motion in its bearings without completely checking such motionand to time such gradual endwise motion accordingto the distance thetorpedo has to travel, and then to lock said bolt against rotary motionand permit its free endwise motion in its bearings. To these ends theiiring-bolt is provided in front of the helically-threaded portion withan unthreadcd portion, in which are formed longitudinal grooves (1,21,the rear ends of whichmerge into the terminal of the helical groove.

Y To the `front end of the firing-bolt screwed the striking-point ai,that has .tourstrikinglarms ai', which latter are constructed in the:form otpropeher-blades ot' very high pitch, so that assoon as thetorpedois launched the striking-head will revolve, and with it theiiring-pin, which will lthus be gradually screwed into thetiring-chamber of. When the torpedo has traveled a given distance,`which will depend on the pitch of both the propeller-blades a5 and ofthe helical groove o?, the points ot' the screws a3 will enter thelongitudinal grooves am, thus leaving the firing-pin free to slidelongitudinally within its bearings, being guided in its motion by thestop-screws and ready to explode the percussion-prin1ing on meeting with.Sufficient resistance to its course through the water. It', forinstance, the eiiicient angle of the propeller-blades ai is a. r, 85 4220, the radius 7 I 50mm, resulting in a linear pitch r. tg :va 50 tg S5l 20, each revolution of the propeller would correspond to a theoreticaldistance of four meters, provided there is no sli p; but, as in thiscase the vsli p is at least titty per centum, the dista-nce will bedouble, or .equal toc'ight meters. Xow, if the torpedo is to be securedagainst premature explosion until it has traveled a distance of onehundred and twenty meters, the helical groove (t2 must have l2() 8l l5convolutions, while lthe firingbolt should be so adjusted that thelockingscrews a3 will be in engagement with the first or initialconvolutionot the' groote. lVhen the torpedov has traveled over thisdistance, the locking-screws will enter the grooves am and allow thefiring-bolt to slidel freely in its bearings, while they said bolt isnow vheld against rotation by the locking-screws. lf the torpedo strikesthe target, the liring-b0it a willvbe-forced backward and the thingpinwill penetrate through the openiugof the cap a" and explode the fulmnateum. thcjct .ot' fire ot which, passing through the limiet aperture ofthe tiring-ring (i7, will ignite the explosive as. As usual, aninitialvil charge of dry gun-cotton contained within-a sheetmetal caseis exploded by themeans referred to, and through the latter the maincharge of wet gun-cotton.

In Fig. l the central portion olf the chamber containing the main chargeoi' wet guncotton is partly broken away.

Having described my invention, what l claim isl. In a firing mechanismfor torpedoes, a firing-bolt adapted to have a Afree longitudinal androt-ary motion in its bearings, provided with means for revolvingl it,and proa'ided with circumferential spiral grooves, and separate anddistinct longitudinal peripheral grooves which open :into the terminalspiral groove, and suitable points fixed in the bow of the torpedoadapted to enter said grooves, substantially as described, for

the purpose specified.

2. In a firing mechanism for torpedoes, a tiring-bolt adapted to have afree vh mgitudinal and rotary motion in itsl bearings, pro- `vided atone end with a circumferential spiral'groove having the number of itsconvolutions determined as stated and terminating in separa-telongitudinal peripheral grooves extending toward its striking end, incombination with suitable stop-points in the torpedo-bow, andpropeller-blades forsaid bow having a pitch determined relatively to thenumber of the spiral convolutions, substantially as described.

Si. ln Aa firing mechanism for .tolpedoes, a cylindrical iringfbolthaving a' surface groove consisting of a spiral portion terminating atdifferentpoinis in longitudinal separate and distinct branches, incombination with' fixed stopsin the bow of the torpedo 'standing at.rightangles to 'the axis'ot' said boltand adapted to enter said groove,and suitable means for revolving said firing-bolt,"substan tially esdescribed, for the purpose specified.

si. In a firing mechanism 'for torpedoes,-a tiring-bolt provided one endwith propeller-bladesand at the other end with ani-ing pin, andbetweenvthese with cireun1t`erential spiral grooves, terminating in longitudinalperipheral grooves, in combination with fixed screw-points asin the bowot the torpedo adapted to enter and travel within said grooves,substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

5. lu aiiring'niechanisni fortorpedoes, the combinationof a tiring-boltprovidbdwith means for revolving it., and a lixed bearing in the bowofthe torpedo, oneY of said parts.

being provided with a circumferential spiral groove and longitudinalgrooves' which torni a continuation'of the saine, and the other part'-being provided with points whieh'enter and travel in said grooves,substantially de scribed, for the purpose specified.

(i. I n aiiring mechanism for torpedoes, a

longitudinally-movable and revoluble irings .bolt -provided withApropeller-bladcs on its out-er end, a circiimferentialr spiral grooveon its inner endj and intermediate longitudinal peripheral groovesopening into said spral` grooves, in combination with the fixed studs a3in the torpedo-bow, adapted to' pojeot into the said spiral andlongitudinal groovesfsubstaitially as described, for the purposesspecief Y 7. In airing mechanism 'fox1 torpedoes, a firing-bolt irgwingboth the striki11g-point.at4

and propeller-blades at one end, the firingpin a end espiralcircumferential groove at the oppositeend, and intermediatelongitudi nal peripheral grooves merging into the spiesse in the Patentice.

[seen] Countersigned: t

G. E. MITCHELL,

y Commissioner of Patents.

rs1 groove, in Combination with the fixed studs a3 in the torpedo-bowand :the rngchamber, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I ztflix my signature iu presence of two Witnesses.

. Y ADOLF GRAF VON BUQNACCORSI DI lPISTOJA.

Witnesses:

OTTO Sommes, OTTO MAAss.

gary, for an improvement in Firing :o Toipedoes, errors appear in theWords engaging said grooves should beinserted aftentorpedobow, land thelast Word n'said line should read bolt insteed'o bow andftiiet the'sidLetters,- Patent should be read with these corrections 'therein thatfthesame niay'cqnfom to the ieeolrdV of ythe Signed, eolmtersigned, andseeded, this l7th'dey'ofDeeembeu A. D'. 1889.

Itis hereby certified that in Letters Patient No. ,206, @rented Decemberl0, 1889, upon the application of Adolf Graf von Buonaoeorsi I stoj a,of Vienna, Austria-Hun printed specification requiring. the' folli`ufivng`.cofreotioiils, 0n page 2, 1inef95v, the

It is hereby oertiied that in Letters Patent No. 417,206, grantedDecember 10,1889, upon the applioaton of Adolf Graf von Bnonaeoorsi diPistoja, of Vienna, Austria-Hun gary, for an improvement in FiringMeehanism for Torpedoes,77 errors appear in the printed speoioationrequiring the following corrections, Viz: On page 2, line 95, the

' words engaging said grooves should be inserted after torpedo-bow, andthe last Word in said line should read bolt instead of bow, and that thesaid Letters Patent should `be read with these corrections therein thatthe same may conform to the record of the oase in the Patent Ofee.

Signed, eountersigned, and sealed this 17th day of December, A. D. 1889.

[SEAL] oYnUs BUssnY,

Assistant Seoretcwy of the Interim'.

in Letters Patent No. 447,206.A

Countersigned:

C. E. MITCHELL,

Commissioner of Patents.

Corrections

